Here’s one reason why you need to watch each of the college football teams playing this fall.
It’s going to be the strangest year in history for college football, just like it’s been for every other sport. Most teams will be playing in front of mostly empty stadiums, while other teams just aren’t playing at all. With the tradition of going to the games, tailgating, spending 12 hours every Saturday to see your alma matter or just your favorite team play live taking a year off, some are going to be looking at new teams to watch.
There are some incredibly fun teams out there, even beyond the obvious ones. The Big Ten, Pac 12, Mountain West, and Mid-American Conference are all postponing fall sports until at least the spring. In the meantime, there are plenty of college programs to pick as a temporary favorite. Here’s one reason why you should be excited about every team planning to play.
ACC
Boston College: Phil Jurkovec comes into Boston College after leaving Notre Dame. He’s a monster under center that’s going to give the Golden Eagles their best quarterback prospect since Matt Ryan. He gets to show the Fighting Irish their “mistake” on November 14th.
Clemson: Besides the obvious race for the National Championship, watching Trevor Lawrence try and win a Heisman is going to be a race in of itself. With no Justin Fields in his way, expect him to sling it on his way to college football’s most prestigious award.
Duke: Duke’s plan to have cardboard cutouts may have been done already in other sports, but they still haven’t explained how these cutouts will help them make the other team miss free throws. On the field, the defensive line is going to be one of the more underrated units in the entire country.
Florida State: Mike Norvell’s start to his tenure in Tallahassee has been a hot mess filled with accusations and angry players. This is either going to lead to the team coming together or falling apart into an epic tire fire. Either way, it’s going to be must-see TV.
Georgia Tech: Jeff Sims. He’s a freshman playmaker who’s going to get a real shot at quarterback. As with Bo Nix last season with Auburn, he’s going to be electric at times and make mistakes at other times. Sims is going to be the key to the Yellow Jackets recovering from last year’s 3-9 dud.
Louisville: Louisville was one of the surprises of college football last season under coach Scott Satterfield. For them to build off that success, Javian Hawkins has to run through the ACC again. The 5-foot-9 running back could be one of the most must-watch players in the country.
Miami: What’s the turnover chain going to look like this season? Will there be a turnover chain? Is it bad this is the one thing that feels like it matters for Miami?
NC State: Um… the kicker? Christopher Dunn has a legitimate shot to win the Lou Groza Award. Dunn is an awesome kicker but the rest of NC State was unwatchable at times last season.
North Carolina: The cleats look cool. As far as the football team? Seeing Mack Brown’s system in Year Two is the thing to watch. All eyes will be on sophomore quarterback Sam Howell who is coming off a record 38 touchdown passes for a freshman last season.
Notre Dame (kind of): Notre Dame is joining the ACC this season instead of being a true independent because of scheduling issues because of the truncated season. As far as what to watch for, fans might be talking about Ian Book’s senior year or a dominant offensive line, but the man they should be paying attention to is Kyle Hamilton. He could become the best safety in the country in just his sophomore season.
Pitt: Pittsburgh is a team that is capable of putting its opponent on upset alert every week. They ended UCF’s winning streak and put the fear of losing in Penn State. This season, they get Notre Dame in the middle of the season and end things with Clemson. They look to ruin the Tigers’ season right at the end.
Syracuse: Tommy DeVito was quietly good despite being sacked 35 teams last season on a five-win Syracuse team. This season, the offensive line appears to be better and a new offensive has been implemented. DeVito might be one of those quarterbacks to really pay attention to as he tries to put his name in the national lexicon.
Virginia: The University of Virginia is in a state of uncertainty as they look to replace quarterback Bryce Perkins. However, Bronco Mendenhall is looking to run a system similar to the one he had with Tayson Hill at BYU. That should be a lot of fun.
Virginia Tech: The tight end position is stacked here. Veterans James Mitchell and Nick Gallo will likely get the majority of the snaps, but super talented freshmen Wilfried Pene could see the field at times. Pene was stuck in France due to the pandemic, so his impact will come later in the season.
Wake Forest: Wake Forest bought 25 billboards to put around North Carolina to remind the state they were the dominant football team. We’re here for that kind of pettiness. The underdog story after losing Jamie Newman to Georgia is what to watch here. Also, rooting for more billboards when they play other North Carolina teams.
Big 12
Baylor: Charlie Brewer is looking to go scorched Earth as everyone writes them off with head coach Matt Rhule now in the NFL. He looks to lead Baylor back into Big 12 contention, even if he has to do it all by himself.
Iowa State: Hate to hit the quarterback back to back, but Brock Purdy is looking to put himself into first-round contention. Multiple 2021 mock drafts have the Cyclones product going between 15 and 32 in their mock drafts. He’s got that pressure on his shoulders, and it could drive him to a special season.
Kansas: Pooka Williams is the reason to watch Kansas this season. The running back is a legitimate NFL prospect. Les Miles will lean on him to win. It makes Kansas football as exciting as its been in years.
Kansas State: The Wildcats lost 15 senior starters from Chris Klieman’s first team. Seeing how the former North Dakota State leader schemes his way out of this hole is going to be one of the major storylines of the Big 12. Can they be a legitimate factor as currently constructed?
Oklahoma: Replacing one Heisman Trophy candidate is a daunting task. Replacing three in a row is impossible. Or is it? Spencer Rattler is the reason to watch Oklahoma football, as Lincoln Riley looks to compete for the Big 12 title and a College Football Playoff berth once again.
Oklahoma State: Chuba Hubbard had over 2,000 yards last season, and he was still about 800 yards away from Barry Sanders’ record. Hubbard is 2,014 yards away from breaking the Oklahoma State career rushing record held by Thurman Thomas. Can he repeat last year’s numbers in a shortened season?
TCU: The safety position isn’t always one to watch in college football, but when one school has not one, but the two best at the position, it’s something to watch. Trevon Moehrig and Ar’Darius Washington remind us of a safety duo from the late 90s, where they patrol the field and put fear into opposing offenses.
Texas: There is so much to watch with this Texas team, but just waiting for it to fall apart again is the main reason to watch. Everything looked like it was coming together last season, but they ended up with five losses. That seems to be how it goes for the Longhorns lately. What will it be this year?
Texas Tech: TJ Vasher is one of the most intriguing prospects in the Big 12. The senior receiver could be one of the best red-zone targets in the country, with his soft hands and 6-foot-6 frame. He can legitimately make one-handed catches with ease.
West Virginia: If there is no tailgating in Morgantown, did the game even happen? WVU is intriguing, but it comes down to how much this defense can stop offenses in the Big 12. Darius Stills is looking to push his way up NFL Draft charts, and he could be one of the most athletic defensive tackles in college football.
SEC – West
Alabama: Nick Saban has a wonderful new weapon in freshman quarterback Bryce Young. Mac Jones appears to be the starter, but Saban and Steve Sarkisian are going to find playing time for Young. Watching him play might get us to root for Alabama and might get Saban to actually smile. Actually, probably not on either front.
Arkansas: Feleipe Franks missed most of last season with a devastating leg injury. His comeback story is one to watch and he could lead Arkansas to a few surprise wins. It gets even better now that a revenge game against Florida was added to the Razorbacks’ schedule.
Auburn: Chad Morris’ new offensive scheme should be fun to watch. Auburn has some really good tight ends, which has been a big part of Morris’ offenses in the past. Bo Nix and DJ Williams, along with true freshman Tank Bigsby, will make this a very interesting team that’s starting just outside the Top 10.
LSU: After losing Joe Burrow and 14 total draft picks to the NFL and then losing Ja’Marr Chase who opted out to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft on Aug. 31, it’ll be really interesting to see how well coach Ed Orgeron rebuilds on the fly.
Mississippi State: How is Mike Leach going to go viral this season? Will it be positive, or is he going to put his foot in his mouth? It’s sad, but watching Leach in what can only be described as a strange season is the most fascinating thing about Mississippi State on a national stage. Kylin Hill might be the best running back in the SEC though too.
Ole Miss: Jerrion Ealy might be one of the biggest breakout players of the season. The running back basically ran for seven yards a carry last season, and he wasn’t even the starter. Yet, he was able to slash LSU for 141 yards, average more than six yards per carry against Alabama and put up a ridiculous 13 yards per carry against Texas A&M.
Texas A&M: Jimbo Fisher is the one thing to watch at Texas A&M this season. He’s been average at best since joining the SEC and he’s going to throw caution to the wind while trying to etch his place among the coaching elites.
SEC East
Florida: Kyle Trask is an underrated Heisman Trophy candidate. He took over last season for Franks and was stellar leading the Gators to an 11-win season. His job now is to beat the elites in the SEC, including Georgia who Florida hasn’t beaten since 2016.
Georgia: Can this offense open up with Newman under center after conservative years of Jake Fromm? Newman is a legitimate Heisman candidate, and even if he gets injured they have transfer JT Daniels. This could be the closest Georgia has to a championship roster since losing in the National Championship Game to Alabama three years ago.
Kentucky: The secondary for Kentucky could be real nasty. The praise from early practices is hard to ignore. Kelvin Joseph is an LSU transfer that should start right away, and Brandin Echols comes back after his breakout season last year. Only Ohio State allowed less passing touchdowns against last season. Kentucky could be even better this year.
Missouri: Nick Bolton is the one constant on a team with a lot of questions surrounding it. He’s one of the best linebackers in the country, and he wants to raise his value going into the 2021 NFL Draft.
South Carolina: Luke Doty’s position is one of the most intriguing storylines for a true freshman in the SEC. The quarterback recruit has played some wide receiver while also getting a few first-team snaps. He could be the most interesting weapon on the Gamecocks.
Tennessee: Shawn Shamburger could be an intriguing player for Tennessee this season. He plays Nickel cornerback and was stellar last year allowing no touchdowns. This season, he’ll need to be more of a game-breaker to help Tennessee live up to their lofty expectations.
Vanderbilt: Vandy is looking to bounce back from a bad season, but this might be the roster to do it. Maybe they can recruit Jack Leiter to play football before he becomes a top-five pick in the MLB Draft.
AAC
Cincinnati: James Wiggins is the man to watch on this defense. He lost most of 2019 to injuries, but he has a chance to be special in his senior year. He seems to have a different confidence level this offseason, as he knows this is his only chance to impress NFL scouts.
East Carolina: This team is bad. Very bad. Is rooting for a team to lose every game a reason to watch? It’s mean, but it could be entertaining. It helped us laugh at the Cleveland Browns.
Houston: Dana Holgerson lost Heisman candidate D’Eriq King this offseason, but they kept receiver Marquez Stevenson. He became a big-play machine last season. Expect more targets this season as the offense tries to go for the jugular.
Memphis: 247Sports says Memphis has a chance to “crash” the College Football Playoff. That’s something worth watching. Despite losing Mike Norvell, a lot of this team is still around and a possible undefeated season would be hard to ignore for the committee, especially with a diluted field.
Navy: The triple option, obviously. One of the most exciting game plans in sports, Navy has been running the offensive system for a long time. It led to a 2,000-yard rushing season for quarterback Malcolm Perry last season. He’s no longer there, but whoever takes over under center will have major success on the ground.
SMU: One doesn’t think about a mini horse when considering a Mustang, but SMU’s mascot might be the coolest in the country. The team will be fine, but the entertainment value comes from Peruna and how we will see mascots used with few or no fans.
Temple: Temple has actually made five straight bowl games. It’ll be strange to see how teams become bowl-eligible this season (maybe they all make it), but watching Temple look to make it six in a row will be fun to watch.
Tulane: The running game is going to be leaned on harder than ever as they try to replace Justin McMillan under center. Seeing them use a massive committee, which includes Amare Jones as the top guy after Corey Dauphine injured his Achilles tendon.
Tulsa: The Tulsa offensive line was abhorrent last season. Watching the running backs and quarterback Zach Smith make plays while under pressure is exciting as anything you’ll see on the field. They make something out of nothing at least once per drive.
UCF: Quarterback McKenzie Milton is running. That might seem like a weird thing to bring up, but his injury was horrendous and it looked like a miracle if he’d ever walk the same. Now he’s running, not only on the field but towards a spot on the Knights roster. If Milton is able to take the field, it will be one of the best stories of 2020. It’s a story that’s desperately needed.
USF: The end of the Charlie Strong era should be enough to get Bulls fans excited. He took the strides Willie Taggert brought to the team and burned it to the ground. Jeff Scott needs three or four stellar recruiting classes to make up the damage. Just appreciate that Strong is no longer in Tampa.
Conference USA
Charlotte: Tre Harbison is a very intriguing running back. He transferred from Northern Illinois, where he had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. The former Virginia recruit has had a weird career, but with a lack of competition to watch, his star could rise.
FAU: It’s all about Taggert. Will he find his roots that made him a commodity at USF, or will the stink of his time at Florida State follow him to South Florida? Taggert takes over the program that rehabilitated Lane Kiffin (along with a successful Alabama swing). They are big, if not weird shoes to fill.
FIU: Moving about 45 minutes down I-95, and we’re in Miami where Bryce Singleton is ready to be one of the most exciting players in Conference USA. The wide receiver has battled injuries, but when he’s on the field he’s electric. The Panthers lost most of their wide receiving corps, but Singleton’s health could make this unit a strength again.
Louisiana Tech: Louisiana Tech has 11 alumni in the NFL this season. This team seems to produce NFL talent without anyone noticing. They have the most NFL draft picks of any Conference USA team since 2013. Who’s going to be the next superstar to step up?
Marshall: Running back Brenden Knox was named to the Maxwell Award watch list. That’s an incredible feat for a player from Marshall. He’s the reigning Conference USA MVP, and he’s looking to make himself an actual draft prospect.
Middle Tennessee State: People who watch Netflix’s “Last Chance U” already have their player to watch in mind. Middle Tennessee State’s Jayy McDonald was a star in junior college and one of the stars of the show. Now, he’s looking to take his skills to the next level as he attempts to make waves in a loaded backfield.
North Texas: Those new “Joe Greene era” jerseys and helmet. Who cares what happens on the field? These unis are beautiful.
Rice: One of the finer academic institutions in the country may not win many games, but the Owls do have a nice defense.
Southern Miss: Jack Abraham in his third year under center will be intriguing. The offensive line is getting better, and Abraham’s completion percentage is taking a step in the right direction. Could he use his experience in the system to put up video game-like numbers? This could be one of the best storylines to come out of Southern Miss in a long time.
UAB: Austin Watkins is the first UAB player since Roddy White in 2004 to put up a 1,000 receiving season. He’s going to be one of those middle-round picks in the NFL Draft that you need to research when your team takes him. Might as well do your homework now.
UTEP: There’s really not much. Praise Amaewhule could be a really good pass rusher if what we saw in his freshman year can be duplicated over a full season (he played four games last season). Beyond him, well… just root for him.
UTSA: If head coach Jeff Traylor succeeds, it could change everything about how college programs pick head coaches. He was a superstar head coach in high school, but in the past college programs have been hesitant to hire based on high school success. Yes, Traylor did have a stint at Arkansas before this, but if he succeeds almost everyone will point to his high school success as a catalyst.
Western Kentucky: This is one of the most impressive offensive lines in a non-major conference. This would be a good offensive line on a lot of college programs. The unit brings back four of its five starters, boasts 114 career starts, and helped a converted cornerback get 1,200 yards rushing last season.
Sun Belt
Appalachian State: Quarterback Zac Thomas is a star. He’s going into his third year as the starter and put together an impressive 28 touchdowns and six interceptions last season. This year, with a very easy schedule, he could just absolutely dominate.
Arkansas State: Some of the names that didn’t score as much as Arkansas State last season; Florida, Auburn, Utah Michigan and about 100 other college teams. They put up 34 points per game, and with more experience under center and on the offensive line, they could be even better.
Coastal Carolina: How could you not root for a team named the Chanticleers? Just chant it. Let’s go Chanticleers. How this university chose a fairy tail rooster as it’s mascot is enough to put your temporary support behind them.
Georgia Southern: Georgia Southern average 75 yards per game last season. It’s legitimately funny how little they throw the ball. Rooting on an over/under for passing yards would be a fun game to play.
Georgia State: Aubry Payne and Roger Carter are one of the best tight end duos in the country. Not many teams are putting out two tight end sets, but Georgia State is using the disadvantage as a way to win games.
Louisiana: There is one game on this team’s schedule that matters. It’s Appalachian State. The Ragin Cajuns (great name) are 0-4 against the Mountaineers over the past two seasons including two Sun Belt Championship losses. There’s a lot to like about Louisiana, but none of it matters if they lose to this team.
University of Louisiana Monroe: Corey Straughter is a player to watch at the cornerback position. He’s gotten better each season as a starter, and he could grow on his five-interception performance last season. His performance against Florida State last season shows he comes to play in big games.
South Alabama: You might not know it yet, but you’re probably watching a South Alabama game this season. That’s because it’s the very first college football game on the schedule. That means someone could put themselves on the map with more eyes than they are used to. That’s wide receiver Jalen Tolbert. He’s a game-breaker that can feel like a flash in the pan. However, with the lights shining bright, he will put together a memorable performance.
Texas State: This is supposed to be Jake Spavital’s season to prove he can lead a team. His explosive is supposed to be explosive. He’s supposed to recruit great talents for this team. These are all things he is supposed to do in his third season, but it’s still a question mark whether he can make this work. If Spavital can find the magic he had when coaching Johnny Manziel, then great.
Troy: It’s hard to ignore when someone is named the preseason player of the year. Carlton Martial is taking home that honor from the Sun Belt. The linebacker had 126 tackles last season, with 18.5 coming for a loss. He’s old school, flying across the field to make the tackle. He plugs up holes and reminds us of the days when middle linebackers were the most important player on the defense.
Independents
Army: Air Force canceled their season, but they reportedly still want to play Army. That’s how deep the Army-Navy-Air Force rivalry runs. Also, these are the men and women who fight for our freedom. Rooting for them is basically rooting for America.
BYU: There’s a lot of depth on the BYU defense, which means a number of players could break out. Zayne Anderson, D’Angelo Mandell, Chris Wilcox, Kavika Fonua, Payton Wilgar, and Chaz Ah You could all make a name for themselves. Putting a bet on the best breakout star on the defense gives a reason to watch every Cougars game.
Liberty: Well, the university has made headlines for all the wrong reasons, and you never know if Hugh Freeze will coach from a hospital bed again. But as far as on the field, going from Auburn to Liberty and sitting out a year could make us forget about a prospect, but Malik Willis could turn into something special. Or, he could fall completely flat. PFF ranked him as the 123rd starting quarterback in the country, but his rushing ability cannot be denied. Whether it’s fire or it’s a tire fire, it will be impossible to look away.
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